I see that United Irelander has come up with a list of top ten Republicans. I'm especially intrigued by his placing Wolfe Tone at number one and Padraig Pearse at number two.
I've actually been thinking about Wolfe Tone and Padraig Pearse today and whether the problem with Irish nationalism has always been the illusion that Tone's enlightenment republicanism and Pearse's romantic nationalism were reconcileable. I don't think they are: once you head down the cultural, ethnic and religious nationalism of Pearse you've abandoned the enlightenment ideals of Tone.
Which is one reason why SF etc are ultimately rather incoherent in their aspirations for the island: they think they can swallow chalk because they've eaten cheese.
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